Holding Forever
by ChristianGateFan
Summary: Sequal to How Long is Forever? What happens when the SG1 of the alternate future contacts our SGC, saying that they can now control the timespace device? What surprise does Sha're have for Daniel, and what will he think of it?
1. Chapter 1

Yes, I know this first chapter is short...but they will get longer, I promise. I just wanted to get something up so you people wouldn't think I ignored you when you said you'd like a sequal to "How Long is Forever?" Don't worry though. I do know where I'm going with this, have thought it up and all...just didn't have alot of time today to write a long first chapter. So I stopped here for today, more to follow very soon. So anyway, hope you like this beginning of a sequal, and please review so I know if you do and I should continue...

**Holding Forever**

The early October winds swirled through the trees around her, blowing the colored leaves to the emerald green grass at her feet. Her white tennis shoes were covered in red and yellow Maple leaves, and the sharp breeze cut through her jeans, white t-shirt and a v-necked, cream-colored sweater that was twice her size. Her wavy, sleek black hair hung in a simple ponytail at her back, though every few moments a strong wind would pick it up and slap it into her face. Loose, fluffy strands hung into her dark brown eyes, bouncing off her high cheekbones. She shivered occasionally in the shade where she stood, but the simple beauty of her surroundings was lost on her.

She skirted the edge of a small community cemetery on the outskirts of Colorado Springs, avoiding catching her clothing on the sharp black point of the old iron fence. Her only attention was for the plain, light gray tombstone that sat silently in front of her, and had stood where it was for more than six years. The occupant of the grave would not have wanted it any other way; nothing more than a humble burial. The short inscription, blurred every so often by unbidden tears, read only "Loving Husband", and gave the birth and death dates of the deceased: July 8th, 1965 - August 24, 1999. The name on the stone was Daniel Jackson.

Sha're Jackson hugged herself tightly, gathering the sweater around her and taking comfort in the fact that it had once belonged to him. Even though it hung limply on her, much too big, she wore it sometimes just to feel closer to him. She had not been here in weeks, since returning to her own timeline after SG-1's accidental jaunt into an alternate one--one where Daniel still lived, but _she_ was dead. Under normal circumstances she would not have returned again so soon, but Sha're's life no longer fell under 'normal circumstances'.

The memories of that alternate future, though weeks old, were still vivid. She missed Daniel so much…both hers and the one she had recently left there. It had not been easy to leave. All Sha're had wanted was to stay, or bring him with her, but she knew her duty, and he knew his. Neither could abandon their own reality. At first she had been all right, knowing she would probably never see that Daniel again, but now, with the news Doctor Carolyn Lam had presented to her earlier that day, suddenly she wanted nothing more than for him to be there with her. The happiness of the morning had been all but forgotten, overshadowed by sorrow that Daniel wasn't here to share it with her.

Silently Sha're stood at her Daniel's grave, not knowing where else to go or what else to do with herself. Lost in thought, she didn't hear when a vehicle pulled into the parking lot behind her, and the gate squeaked as someone slipped past the slightly ajar entrance into the cemetery. She didn't notice when the newcomer stopped beside her and gazed at the same stone with her. Only when the figure spoke several moments later did she even realize they were there.

"So…I heard the news," a familiar voice said.

Sha're gave a quick glance to her left to see that it was General Jack O'Neill standing beside her, then shifted her gaze back to where it had been and shrugged.

O'Neill sighed. "Well…I think it's great, even though the idea is a little hard to get my head around…Why do you look so down and out? Aren't you happy about it?"

She nodded. "I am, but…"

"But what?" Jack asked gently.

Sha're blinked back tears again. "He'll never know, Jack. I am happy about it--it's what we always wanted, but…he'll never know." She nodded toward the tombstone in front of them. "He won't know, and the other him won't know…" Her hands moved to her stomach. "I want him to know," she said softly.

"Is that why you're here?"

"Sort of," she shrugged. "And…I suppose that maybe I…feel a bit guilty that it wasn't _him_, exactly…"

She trailed off, not quite able to finish yet, and O'Neill waited patiently as the young woman battled her emotions. Finally she sighed.

"Just because he is alive in an alternate reality without me, doesn't change the fact that Daniel is still dead in my own reality. Before he was…was killed, we wanted a child…and I suppose _I_ can still have that this way, but what about him?" She gestured vaguely in front of them again. "What would he think?"

Jack pulled his hands out of his pockets and put one arm around her shoulders. "I think he would like the idea. Daniel loved you, Sha're. I know he would have wanted you to be happy, and if it ends up being with a different version of him, even, then…okay. I'm all for it, I guess." He gave her shoulders a squeeze. "Come on, cheer up, Re. If my team is happy, I'm happy." He gave her a smile when she looked up at him. "Besides, if you don't stop this sulking over a good thing bit, you're gonna make _me_ cry."

Sha're couldn't resist the urge to smile back at that. "Maybe you're right," she admitted.

"Thank you," O'Neill said, letting go of her shoulders. "So, you want a ride home? I don't see your car…"

She shook her head. "No, it's all right. I walked here again. You know my apartment's not far. I'll be fine."

"Okay. You want me to go? Are you leaving or staying?"

"I think I'm going to go now," she said after a moment.

The general nodded. "Be careful on the way home then."

"I will." She turned to go, casting one last long look at Daniel's grave, but before she had gone more than a few steps O'Neill called after her.

"You know, there may be a way to tell him."

Sha're spun, blinking in surprise. "What?"

"Yeah, that device you guys brought back from P5R-322 a few weeks ago…Carter thinks she might be able to fix it."

"Fix it?" she asked in disbelief. "How? She hasn't said anything to me…"

"Well, she didn't want to mention it to anyone else until she was sure she had a good chance of doing it. It was just a possibility she mention to me a couple of weeks ago, but after _she_ heard the news today she seemed even more positive that she should try, you know?"

"Does she really think it's possible? That we could fix it--be able to control it?"

Jack shrugged. "She seemed to."

Sha're smiled, snatching the small piece of hope and holding onto it as hard as she could. "Thank you for telling me."

"What are friends for?" O'Neill smiled back.

She smiled in thanks again, and then turned and passed through the rusty gate into the parking lot. Soon she had disappeared down the sidewalk at the side of the road, leaving Jack alone in the cemetery, standing at his best friend's grave.

The general heaved a sigh, turning with heavy eyes back to the stone.

"Well, Danny," he sighed. "The others got to see you again--sort of. Sorry I couldn't have been there too…" _Sorry I couldn't have been there soon enough to save you back then._

He didn't blame Sha're, and to some extent he didn't even blame the Goa'uld for Daniel's death. O'Neill blamed himself. He knew it was a bit selfish maybe, but he hope that just maybe having Daniel's kid around (sort of--after all the father was from an alternate reality) would help to assuage his guilt some. He really was genuinely happy for Sha're, but there was that other hope in the background. He really did hope they could fix the device so that Sha're could see that Daniel again, and could tell him of their child to come, but Jack also wanted it to happen so he could see Daniel again himself.

* * *

Sha're gasped before she could stop herself. "_How_ long do you think it will take?" She'd hoped to be able to get back to Daniel's reality before the baby was born, but now… 

Samantha Carter shrugged. "It could take a good year, give or take a few months." She sighed at the disappointed look on her friend's face. "Look, I want to be able to use it just as much as you do. I miss Daniel too, but I can't do it any faster than it's possible to. Don't worry. We can do this, Sha're--I just can't guarantee how much time it will take to figure everything out and do it."

Sha're gulped and nodded. "I know…and of course this is not our main project. The fact that we are a field unit has not changed…"

Carter nodded in return. "Right. We still have our jobs to do…though I assume I'm not the only one who wishes we could stop everything and make this thing work for us…" she said, gesturing across her lab to where the device sat, ready for more extensive study and modification for use.

Sha're smiled at that. "No, you are not the only one."

Sam smiled back and patted her friend's shoulder. "We'll do the best we can, okay? In the meantime, you just take care of yourself and that baby. Now, if you don't mind, we both probably have a lot of work to do."

Jackson's eyes rolled. "Yes, there is still much paperwork to do from our last mission, artifacts to be logged."

"And I have to figure out what this thing does," Sam said, pointing to the small, squarish green device on her desk that had been brought back by SG-2 a few days before.

"I will see you later then, I suppose," Sha're answered, turning to the door to go.

"Later," Carter called. Seconds later the Abydonian woman was gone, leaving Sam with her work and her thoughts.

The idea of Sha're being pregnant with Daniel's child….It still boggled her mind. Of course it was obvious how it had happened, what with their recent trip to a future where he was alive split off from where he had died in this reality and what had happened while they were trapped there…but it didn't leave her any less surprised. It made her wonder how two people from two completely alternate universes had been able to conceive…though it might make no real difference, the ramifications of understanding how it had been able to happen could lead to a massive leap forward in understanding quantum mechanics…

But no. Of course Sam would never even think of asking her friend to submit to any tests over that matter, and neither would Doctor Lam. Thus the tantalizing subject of curiosity would have to remain closed. That was fine with carter. She was simple happy for Sha're--and for Daniel too. He'd told them that he'd lost Sha're in his future, and they all hoped that they would be able to fix what the Goa'uld hadn't been able to in the device and bring him the good news.

* * *

Sha're settled back against her pillows, smiling down at the warm bundle in her arms. They had all wanted Daniel to be here for this, but alas, the modifications to the device had not been finished in time. Daniel still had no knowledge of what was happening in this reality. Sha're was disappointed, but Carter and her team were well on their way to being able to control the device's actions, and now she knew that it was only a matter of time before it worked. Soon she would able to tell Daniel, too bring him here and show him their child. For now, though, Sha're was happy just to hold in her arms what she had never thought she would--their son. 


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry this took so long-was busy at school, and now I'm going on vacation home to family for Thanksgiving so it'll be another week or so. So Sorry! But this will get finished, I promise. So anyway, for those of you who don't recognize them, the first few lines up until Vala walking out and Daniel's comment are from the end of the episode "Counterstrike" in season ten. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please review if you do! I need to know what you think before I can go on. :) Thanks!

Chapter 2

"There's nothing to be gained by second-guessing ourselves," Vala spoke up suddenly, but quietly. "Can't re-make the past…so look ahead, or risk being left behind."

Daniel, Teal'c, and Bra'tac watched silently, somewhat surprised, as Vala MalDoran straightened from her slumped position over the back of one of the black leather rolling chairs in the briefing room. Without another word the alien woman walked behind Daniel, around the long, dark wood table and down the stairs, leaving the men where they stood.

"She displays the wisdom of a battle-season warrior," Bra'tac commented in awe. Teal'c grunted in agreement.

Daniel, still hunched over his own chair, gave a small, blissful smile. "She's a mother--close enough."

Vala MalDoran was a mother. They had all known the fact for months, but for Daniel it hadn't really sunk in until that moment. That made the third past or current member of SG-1 to be a parent, and still left him, Sam, and Cameron out of the loop.

As Bra'tac and Teal'c nodded silently and turned to go themselves, Daniel stayed in the briefing room, sliding down into the chair he'd been leaning on as his mind wandered. He could only imagine what it would have been like to have a child with Sha're before she had died…or if she hadn't died. Not to mention that as he got older, he was realizing that his chances of ever having a real family at all were shrinking. It wasn't a pressing issue by any means, though still…

But no. Now wasn't the time to think about those things. The Milky Way still had an Ori problem. And speaking of problems…

Daniel looked up as the as unauthorized off-world activation klaxon went of, and Walter Harriman's voice echoed the warning through the base. Jackson shot to his feet and bounded down the grey metal stairs into the control room. Vala was already there; apparently this is where she had retreated to. General Landry entered the room from the other direction as Daniel arrived.

"What's going on, Walter?" Landry asked as he came up behind the 'gate technician. "Are we getting a signal?"

Harriman frowned. "Yes sir, but…it's SG-1's code," he answered, glancing uncertainly back at the two present members of the mentioned team.

"What?"

Landry, Vala, and Daniel had spoken at the same time. The general was frowning down at the Stargate through the room-length window that ran the wall in front of them, on the other side of the main bank of computers.

"SG-1 is here. How is that possible?" Landry demanded.

"Well, it either _could_ be us—which has happened before…" Daniel started.

"Or it could be bad," Vala added.

"Yeah, that too."

Walter spoke up again. "General, where getting a radio signal."

Landry nodded. Behind him Mitchell, Teal'c, and Sam arrived to find out what was happening. "Let's hear it then."

A burst of static sounded through the room, but quickly cleared to become a voice—a voice that shouldn't have been coming from the other side of a wormhole.

"Stargate Command, do you read me? This is Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell of SG-1 calling the SGC."

"Hey, that's me!" Cameron yelped quietly. The rest of SG-1 stood wide-eyed.

Landry turned to look at Mitchell for a moment, surprise and confusion registering clearly on his face, then spoke to the voice on the radio.

"This is General Hank Landry, colonel. We read you here at Stargate Command, but would you mind explaining why you're _there_, when you're already _here_?"

The voice paused for a moment. "Uhm…well, general, that's kind of a long story, but to make it short—I'm not from there. None of us are."

"_None _of you? Meaning…?"

"Us, sir, the SG-1 I've got here with me. See, we just dialed you from our alpha site…"

"Hold it, colonel," Landry interjected. "What are you saying?"

"An alternate universe, sir," Sam answered, loud enough for those on the other end of the transmission to hear.

"That's right," came the voice of another Samantha Carter, over the radio waves. "You've met _us_ before, though, actually. For most of you it would have been about seven years ago…"

A light came on in Daniel's expression. "You made it work!" he exclaimed suddenly. "The device, from P5R-322; you made it work."

"Yes!" a third voice answered happily. All of SG-1 who recognized the voice grinned, but none more than Daniel Jackson.

"Sha're!" he exclaimed incredulously. "Is that you?"

A soft laugh drifted to him. "Yes, Dan'iel, it is me. When we finally finished modifying the device, we knew your reality was the first place we should contact—and of course General O'Neill was only too happy to give his permission."

Vala was gaping open-mouthed at thin air. "W-what…?"

Now General Landry looked beyond confused. "What is this?"

"It's a long story, sir," Sam said. "Remember the incident on P5R-322 last year--what happened to Daniel…?"

Jackson grimaced. "I know I do. That recovery was not fun…"

"What?" Sha're's suddenly concerned voice asked.

Daniel smiled again. "Nothing. It's all right; I made it back here alive, at least. I'm fine. What about you?"

"We are all fine here, Dan'iel, and I am more than fine. I can't wait to see you again."

"Yeah, how is that going to work…?"

"Hold your horses, Doctor Jackson. I haven't said you could go anywhere yet," Landry interrupted, trying to regain some control of the situation. "Yes, I remember what happened last year, and I've read the mission report from what happened seven years ago here regarding that. From what I remember, that device was not very stable."

The alternate carter answered over the radio. "We've fixed it, sir. It took over a year to do it, but using it to travel through time and/or space shouldn't be dangerous anymore."

"_Shouldn't_ be?"

"We're relatively sure, sir. We did do a few tests before contacting you and they all turned out fine."

Sha're spoke again next. "We know that it might be dangerous for most of you to come here because you have doubles here, but Dan'iel does not. It would be safe for him, and there is something here that we really must show him…" Her voice trailed off in a slight giggle, leaving all, thought mostly Daniel, confused and curious.

Mitchell's voice came again after that. "General?"

"What?" Landry answered, just a little annoyed at still being a bit out of the loop.

"Look, sir, I know things are crazy there right now--Dakara just got wiped out right?"

The general sighed. "Yes; that happened here too. What's your point, colonel?"

"I was just gonna say that I know everything's kinda whacked right now with the Ori problem and all, but there really is something over here that Daniel should see. We were just wondering if maybe we could….borrow him for a couple of days?"

Daniel looked to the general expectantly. "Is that all right, general? SG-1 isn't scheduled to go off-world again for a few days." He knew he sounded like a small child that wanted to go to the zoo, but at the moment he didn't care. Sha're was just on the other side of the Stargate, waiting for him in her reality. The shock of suddenly hearing from this Sha're again was drowned in the urge he had to get over there as quickly as he could and see her again, scoop her into his arms and kiss her.

Landry seemed to contemplate this. Finally he spoke again. "How _would _that work, exactly?"

The Carter over the radio answered. "Two of us would have to come through the 'gate now with the device. Then you would dial the alpha site from there, and when we went back through with Daniel and the device we would end up back here, not at your alpha site. It's not as complicated as it sounds, sir."

Landry sighed and looked back and forth between the open 'gate and Jackson, then to Sam. "Are you sure this is safe?"

"Yes sir," both Carters answered together.

The general shook his head, still bewildered. "If you're sure…"

That was all Daniel needed to hear. "Thank you," he grinned, and then took off for the locker rooms to gear up for 'gate travel.

"Have fun!" Cameron called after him, shaking his head and smiling.

Vala watched him go, blinking rapidly in surprise. "All right, would someone mind explaining this to me?"

Sam laughed. "It really is a pretty long story, Vala. The bottom line is that they're from an alternate reality where Daniel's wife is still alive but he's not. They ended u stuck in our reality a few years back and the two of them kind of connected, I guess. They missed each other in their own realities." She shrugged. "We'll tell you more later."

Vala sighed and rolled her eyes a bit. "If you say so…"

* * *

By the time Daniel made it back to the 'gate room General Landry and the rest of his team were waiting there to see him off. With them were another Teal'c and Cameron Mitchell who stood on the lower part of the ramp with the time/space device.

"Jackson, there you are!" Cam called, ushering him toward the ramp. "These guys are in a hurry for some reason."

The alternate Mitchell grinned. "Oh, _we're_ not in a hurry, but there's one hyper Jackson back on our side who's gonna to kill us if we don't get back with you soon."

Daniel smiled. "You don't say."

"Yeah, I do," Mitchell answered, reaching to shake Daniel's hand once he stopped in front of them. "Nice to see you again, by the way, Daniel."

"Thanks. I'd say the same, and it is, but then again I see this you everyday…" He nodded over his shoulder.

The other Teal'c moved in next to envelope Daniel in a hearty embrace, smiling. Daniel laughed and returned it.

"Hey, Teal'c, how are you?"

The alternate version of the big jaffa let go of his and nodded. "I am well, Daniel Jackson. It is indeed good to see you again." Then he raised an eyebrow. "Have you acquired new glasses since we saw you last?"

Subconsciously Daniel reached up and touched them. "Yeah, I have--though nobody around here seems to have noticed…"

Teal'c smiled, Mitchell grinned in amusement, and all of Daniel's SG-1 at once looked embarrassed from behind him.

General Landry broke the temporary lull in conversation that followed by turning toward the control room. "Dial it up, Walter," he called up to the Sergeant. Harriman nodded, and within seconds the 'gate had begun to spin, the first chevron lighting and locking in place.

"So you really made it work right, huh?" Daniel asked.

"Well, _I_ didn't, but Carter and Jackson had plenty to do with it. Geniuses, those two…" Mitchell answered, patting the device. "Anyway, ready to go?"

"Are you kidding?" Daniel asked, grinning again as the third chevron lit. Then he turned to say goodbye to his friends, promising that he would be back soon and not to worry…and of course thanking General Landry again for allowing him to go on this field trip. When the stargate open he faced it again, more ready to go through it this time than any other before.

Mitchell slapped him on the back, grinned at him and picked up one end of the device. Teal'c picked up the other end and exchanged a glance with Mitchell that made Daniel wonder just what, exactly, they wanted him to see in their reality--besides Sha're.


	3. Chapter 3

Sory this took so long! We were on vacation and there were no computers where we were, sorry people. :) But anyway, now I'm back, and it won't be so slow, though I am going to start another story here in a couple of days. Those of you who read 2018 and wanted a sequal, you can be happy-that's what it is! Yay! And since Thanksgiving is over and its December now, it's also a Christmas story. So you guys can be looking for that. So anyway, when it comes to this story...here's the moment you've all been waiting for. grins

Chapter 3

Daniel stumbled through the 'gate to the Alpha Site of Sha're's reality. He skidded to a halt and turned to glance at the wormhole before it closed, shaking his head to regain his equilibrium.

"Is it just me, or was that ride a little more bumpy than usual?"

Mitchell and Teal'c set the device down on the dull gray metal floor of the Alpha Site's 'gate room. The facility wasn't much unlike the SGC, but was for the most part only smaller and without the huge, overbearing windows.

"No, it wasn't just you," the colonel answered, with a hand braced on the device.

"Colonel Carter and her team were able to give us control of the device, but they were not able to modify it to the point of assuring smooth passage through the more turbulent pathways that this device forms," Teal'c added.

"Oh, well…sacrifices, I guess," Jackson shrugged.

The sound of one of the doors at the side of the 'gate room opening took Daniel's attention then. Expectantly he turned toward the noise, and wasn't disappointed. Sha're was the first through the door, as soon as there was an opening large enough for her to slide through.

"Dan'iel!" she called happily.

Daniel grinned and opened his arms. In seconds the distance between them had closed and she threw her arms around his neck, showering kisses on his cheeks. Daniel chuckled and spun her around briefly, then set her feet back on the ground and caught her lips with his. When they pulled back, arms still around each other, Daniel was the first to speak.

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again," he said incredulously, pushing back a stray wisp of hair that had escaped her ponytail.

Sha're gave him a bright smile and took that hand in hers, holding it to her cheek. "I know. For a bit I was afraid of that too. But then Sam said that she could fix it, and you know if she says she can do something it is only a matter of time before she gets it done."

"It's a good thing, too," Daniel agreed. "And speaking of Sam…"

Sha're turned and noticed what he had—that a smiling Samantha Carter was waiting behind her. Politely Sha're released her husband to allow him to greet others as well. Daniel smiled at her and then turned to Carter.

"Hey, Daniel," she said, embracing him. "It's good to see you."

"How are you doing?" Jackson asked when she let go of him.

Carter shrugged. "Great now that we have that device running properly."

"Yeah, me too," Daniel grinned, his arm going around Sha're again. "I'm glad you did." Then he glanced around the 'gate room. "Wait…don't you guys have something of a fifth now…?"

"You mean me?" a familiar voice echoed. Its owner came almost skipping through the door, thick black pigtails bouncing on her shoulders. Daniel heard an almost audible sigh from Mitchell behind him. Jackson only smiled; a reality where Vala MalDoran was interested in someone else entirely and hadn't even known he existed until now…oh yeah, this could be fun.

Vala approached Daniel and Sha're, looking thoughtful. "So you're Daniel Jackson, hmm?"

"Yes…and you're Vala."

She grinned and stuck out a hand. "Yep, that's me." After shaking his hand enthusiastically, she turned to Sha're, a conspirational glint in her eyes. "I've got to give to you, Re; you sure know how to pick 'em," Vala confided, grinning at both of them.

Daniel promptly coughed and went red, and Sha're soon followed in the color. _Am alternate reality, and she's still no different…_

Carter saw this exchange and quickly jumped to the rescue. "Okay, um…we should get back to earth."

Mitchell nodded. "Right--dial it up airman!" he called across the room to the technician at the control panel. The man nodded and moved to the DHD, punching in the symbols. At the same time two more airmen came to take the device. Daniel watched them leave the 'gate room with it, a quizzical expression on his face.

"We keep it here," Carter explained. "It's more convenient if any of the missions we need it for involve other realities. We don't have to lug it back out here so we can contact another earth."

Daniel's "Ah" was mostly drowned out by the noise created by the opening Stargate and its spew of unstable particles. Then, to his surprise, it was Sha're who took the first step toward the open wormhole.

"Come, my Dan'iel," she urged, tugging gently on his arm.

"I'm coming," he smiled. "What is it you wanted to show me that's so important I had to come now and you couldn't tell me over the radio?"

"You will see," she answered. She said nothing more, and seconds later they stepped together through the Stargate.

* * *

There was no one waiting for SG-1 and their visitor on the other side. Walter Harriman waved and smiled at Daniel from the control room, welcoming him, but there was no one in the 'gate room besides the six that had come through.

"Where's Jack?" Daniel asked curiously, looking around for him.

"I don't know," carter answered, looking confused. "Not that he'd actually admit it to anyone, but he's been looking forward to seeing you just as much as we have. I don't understand why he's not here."

"He blames himself," Sha're said quietly.

"What?"

"He blamed himself just as much as I did, Dan'iel."

"For what happened to me? I mean--the other me? But that's crazy. It wasn't his fault any more than it was yours."

Sha're sighed. "That did not stop me from feeling that way. I understand now that it was not, and he _knows_ it was not his, but…"

"She's right, Daniel," Carter nodded. "More likely than not, that's what it is. Let's just give him some time; he'll come around. He does want to see you."

Daniel nodded. "Maybe you're right," he sighed, tearing his eyes away from the window where Jack should have been standing if he were in charge here. "So what now?"

Sha're took his hand and motioned for him to follow her.

"Okay…" he smiled, obliging. He didn't notice the grins on the faces of the rest of SG-1 as they trailed behind them into the corridor.

* * *

"What are we in the infirmary for?"

Sha're only smiled and continued deeper into the facility, seemingly looking for something. When she spotted Doctor Lam, she acted as if she'd found it.

"Carolyn!" she called, waving happily to the woman who stood just outside her office.

The doctor turned, and that was when Daniel saw that she carried a baby in her arms. The bright-eyed child that couldn't have been more than a few months old was pulling at the stray strands of hair that hung down from the bun at the back of the doctor's neck, but stopped and held out his hands, smiling at Sha're when he saw her.

"There you are, Sha're; I was wondering when you'd get back. Jr here was getting lonely," Lam responded.

Daniel watched, befuddles, as Sha're took the baby from her and kissed the child's forehead. "I am sorry we were gone for so long," she said, apparently to both.

"No, its okay," Carolyn answered. She pulled a small stuffed toy teddy bear from the pocket of her white lab coat that hung over her blue scrubs and handed it to the baby. "I never mind watching him."

Daniel smiled and reached a hand out to the baby, who grabbed one of his fingers and shook his hand around playfully. "Who is this?" he laughed, still clueless as to what the women were talking about or whose baby it was. By now Sha're was grinning at him, but he was too bust watching the tiny child in her arms to notice.

"We call him Danny, but his name is Daniel Kasuf--after both his father and his grandfather."

Daniel's smile fell; his hand dropped away from the baby. He looked up at Sha're again, eyes wide. "W-What?" he stammered. He couldn't possibly have heard that right, but her smiled told him otherwise. "Wait…you can't mean…" He gulped and glanced around him, realizing that all five members of this reality's SG-1, plus their Doctor Lam, were grinning at him. He felt his heart start to pound harder in his chest.

Sha're giggled lightly. "Yes, Dan'iel; he is ours," she confirmed gently.

But how? How could that be possible…? _The night before they left my reality…_

Daniel tried to make his eyelids move to blink, but failed miserably. Suddenly his heart was beating so quickly he felt it might run off on its own, yet his lungs weren't cooperating. He found himself gasping softly for the oxygen to speak again.

"Y-you mean you're a--and I-I'm a-"

But he couldn't finish either sentence. It wasn't that he wasn't suddenly so happy he thought he could have flown, but the idea was too huge to get his head around right away.

Sha're nodded, and Jackson felt a hand clap onto his shoulder.

"Just _say_ it, Daniel," Mitchell teased. "You're a daddy!"

Daniel pulled in an unsteady breath, and in front of him blurred the image of Sha're and…his son.

"I'm…I'm a father," he gulped quietly. Then a rush of sir burst from his lungs, and with it fell the first of the tears of joy that had gathered so quickly in his eyes. "I'm a daddy!" Daniel laughed. Then Sha're and Danny were in his arms, but he was never sure which he was kissing or to which he was saying "I love you" because of the tears obscuring his vision.

After a moment or so Sha're planted a kiss on his lips, calming him down, and something in the back of his mind told him that the others had left them alone.

"I love you too," Dan'iel, she said in return. The she glanced down at the child she held. "And I am sure that he love you too, but he cannot talk yet."

"Right…" Daniel chuckled. He ran the back of a finger over the boy's cheek now that he could see clearly again. Little Danny grinned up at him, toothless mouth wide and dark brown eyes sparkling. He wondered how old the baby was now, but the math wouldn't compute in his shocked mind; three or four months, about, but he couldn't get closer than that. He had a lot of hair for his age, but then again so had Daniel, if he remembered his baby pictures correctly. And Danny's soft hair was the same light brown, almost blondish shade his had been, too.

"We would have told you much sooner, but we only just now got the device to perform well enough."

Daniel swallowed back the lump that had formed in his throat from crying. "I don't know what to say…" And it was true. The linguist's mind was to overrun with shock and joy to form coherent sentences.

"Say you are happy?"

He nodded quickly in agreement. "Yes! Yes, I'm happy. Gosh, Sha're, I've never been happier, it's just…wow. I never would have expected _this_…" The tears no longer blurred his vision, stung, or fell, but he felt them there still. In the place of actually crying came a wide smile that he found he couldn't get rid of even if he'd wanted to.

"Of course you would not have, Dan'iel. I did not even dare believe it was true at first. But it _is_ true…" She trailed of. "Do you want to hold him?"

Immediately Daniel's head started to bob up and down, but he forcibly stopped it and made it shake no.

"What is wrong?" she frowned.

He smiled sheepishly and glanced down at his arms, laughing quietly before speaking in an unsteady voice. "I'm shaking, Sha're; I don't want to drop him."

She gave him a knowing look, put her one partially free hand on his elbow and guided him toward the nearest exam bed. "Here, sit," she instructed.

Obediently Daniel did as he was told, and she sat beside him. Carefully she placed Danny in his arms, making sure that he had him before letting go herself.

"I feel like a kid being shown how to hold his new baby brother," Daniel commented wit humor as the boy grabbed at the green fabric of his BDU jacket. Sha're smiled, but he didn't see it as he watched the baby with rapt attention."

"He's beautiful, Sha're," Daniel said quietly.

"He looks just like you."

Daniel raised an eyebrow at her. "How would you know?"

"After he was born I was curious, so Sam helped me to find some of your old baby pictures in all of your things that had been packed away."

"Oh, you didn't," Daniel yelped, turning red and hoping she hadn't found any of the embarrassing ones.

Sha're giggled. "Yes, we did, and he really does look just like you."

Daniel shook his head, sighing at her, and looked back down at Danny. A new smile lit his face.

"He has his mother's eyes, though."


	4. Chapter 4

hey guys! I am soooo sorry this took so long. But in december I was trying to get the christmas story done, then there was Christmas vacation, and now midterms...ugh. But here's the next chapter, and if you like it and still want me to keep going with the story 'please' tell me. I've left this one hanging so long I don't know who's still interested so please let me know if you are and if you are why and what ya think. I'd appreciate it a lot if you would. :) Thanks all! Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Jack O'Neill was torn. He wanted to see Daniel…he wanted to see him so badly it hurt, but…but he couldn't face him. Not yet, anyway. At first he'd thought he could. He had been looking forward to seeing his long lost best friend for months, but at the last moment he'd fled from the control room before SG-1 had brought Jackson through the stargate. He'd shut himself in his office, thoughts in turmoil and heart aching.

_What's wrong with me?_ He wondered silently. But he already knew the answer; he just didn't want to admit it. He certainly didn't want to think that he might be right. Even though he knew Daniel, knew that his friend never had and never would blame him for what had happened to him in this reality, part of him still worried what this other Daniel Jackson would think of him.

Finally, though, he'd had enough of his own sulking.

"This is ridiculous," Jack sighed, standing. He'd recently been informed that Daniel and SG-1 were in the commissary now. Daniel knew about his and Sha're's child and was apparently as happy as any parent suddenly surprise with such news should be, and then some. Now if O'Neill could only bring himself to show his face there.

Before he was sure he knew what he was doing, Jack's feet carried him from his office, down the corridor and to the elevator. A short ride up just a couple of floors or so and he was on the commissary level. The smell of dinner wafted down hallway from the double doors that led into the eating area, and O'Neill realized that he was, in fact, hungry. Despite that, he went more slowly down this corridor, and stopped before coming close enough to be able to see through the plastic pane windows set into the flimsy, gray swinging doors. If he kept going now, there would be no turning back. If he caught even a glimpse of Daniel, he probably wouldn't be able to stop himself from running up to him and scooping his friend into an embarrassing bear hug.

Jack could hear SG-1 inside in lighthearted conversation, and could almost make out Daniel's voice among them. He didn't try to hard to, though, because that would compel him to go inside just as much as catching sight of him would, and we wasn't sure he was ready for that. He stood at the door to the commissary for another few moments warring with himself until a passing airman on the way in stopped to ask him if he needed anything. Startled, O'Neill replied no and started to drift away from the commissary. When he once again came to an empty corridor, Jack picked up speed and fled back his office.

* * *

Daniel looked over his shoulder toward the doors to the commissary at the sound of a slight commotion outside the doors. He shrugged to himself and turned back to the group at the table he sat at when only an airman came through the doors a moment later.

"Is something wrong, Dan'iel?" Sha're asked from her beside him.

"No, just thought I heard someone…" he trailed off, shaking his head. "Never mind."

Mitchell picked up a chicken nugget, tore it in half and popped one of the two pieces into his mouth, grinning. "Is alternate universe hopping hazardous to your mental health?"

Carter swatted his shoulder. "Oh hush. If it were, we'd all be crazy."

"I wouldn't be," Vala pointed out. "_I've_ never used that thing."

"Good point, but I was only kidding."

Daniel grinned and returned his attention to Sha're, who was holding Danny in her arms while she fed him a bottle. He watched them, smiling to himself, until Sha're noticed and glanced at him again.

"Do you want to do this?' she asked, indicated the baby with her head.

"Uhm, yeah," he admitted sheepishly. "Can I?"

"Of course." Sha're gently took the bottle from the baby's mouth and set it on the table long enough to hand him over to Daniel, who took his son in his arms eagerly. Danny started to cry when the bottle was taken away, but Sha're shushed him quietly.

"It's all right, Danny. You can have it back is a moment. Just let daddy feed you now, all right?"

As promised by Sha're, Daniel got the bottle back into the baby's mouth quickly and he clamed down, settling into his father's arms. Daniel, meanwhile, was smiling uncontrollably again.

"So…what about my SG-1? My friends'll want to know about this too; I _want_ them to know…" Daniel started. "I'm trying to figure out how that's going to work though. We don't know if it's safe for babies to 'gate travel, and quite frankly I don't want to try it, but you also said it would be dangerous for them to come here too…"

Mitchell looked thoughtful for a moment. "It's getting kind of late today, but we could go pick them up in the morning and bring them here for a little while. Couldn't we, Sam?"

Carter nodded. "Sure, as long as they don't stay long--just a few hours. But that's long enough, isn't it?"

Daniel nodded. "Yeah. Okay, that sounds good," he answered absently, eyes never leaving Danny, smile never wavering. Carter had to grin at him.

It wasn't long before the hungry, healthy baby finished the bottle, and Daniel set the empty container on the table. Almost immediately after, Danny fell asleep in his arms. The others had finished eating and were up and cleaning off the table, putting up their dishes and throwing away their trash when Daniel stood and handed the boy back to his mother.

"Here you go," he said quietly, still smiling at both his wife and his son.

"You do not have to give him back so soon," Sha're chuckled.

"I know…but I have to go do something."

Carter looked at him, an eyebrow raised. "Daniel, are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

Jackson shrugged. "I don't know; does what you're thinking have anything to do with Jack?"

"Yes," Carter sighed. "But there's no telling what he's feeling right now."

"Actually, I think there is—which is exactly why I'm worried about him."

Mitchell crossed his arms. "So…."

"I think I should go talk to him."

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Carter questioned.

"I didn't say it was the _smart_ thing; but it is the right thing."

Now it was Teal'c's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Is that not a line spoken by Milo Thatch in _Atlantis: The Lost Empire_ of Disney, Daniel Jackson?"

Daniel looked completely lost for a moment, before what Teal'c had meant clicked into his mind and he remembered the movie the jaffa was talking about. "What? Oh…yeah, it is." He smirked. "Hey, if everyone I meet is gonna compare me to the character I might as well act like him and use his lines, huh?"

Carter shook her head, smiling in amusement. "Whatever."

Then Daniel got back to the topic at hand. "Sam, I really am worried about him. I think it'll help if I go find him."

The colonel thought for a moment more and then shrugged. "He did seem a little more subdued this morning than I thought he would be—"

"Uh huh," Mitchell snorted.

"Okay, fine, a _lot_ more subdued than I thought he'd be at the idea of seeing you again than I thought he'd be. But if anyone can bring him out of it, Daniel, I guess its you."

"Hopefully…"Daniel trailed, already uncomfortable. "So…catch up with you guys a little later?"

Sha're nodded. "I'll still be on base. I will not leave until you are ready to."

"Right, uh…where _am_ I staying while I'm here?" he asked curiously.

"With me, silly," Sha're answered with a smile.

"Ah. Oh, well, I mean that makes sense, but…are you sure that's okay? Not imposing…?"

Sha're sidled up closer to him and pecked him on the cheek. "No, Dan'iel. You are my husband. How could you be imposing?"

Daniel felt his cheeks heating up involuntarily. He was still overjoyed to be here with her, but being so long without her had almost made him forget how the little thing made him feel. Already he could see that this settling into being husband and wife again—though of course with many differences from his life on Abydos—was going to take some major getting used to.

"I knew that," he recovered quickly.

"We have plenty of room for you. I had an apartment but before I had Danny the air force supplied me with a small house instead. Granted, it really isn't much larger than the apartment was, and is actually on the same street, which was convenient when I moved, but it will be nice to have a real house to bring the baby up in. And there is more than enough room for only three people."

"Right, that's good," Daniel nodded. Then he leaned down and kissed her. "Okay; I'll find you after I talk to Jack then, all right?"

"All right."

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm tired and I'm going home," Carter announced, coming around the table. "See you tomorrow," she said, giving Jackson a hug.

Daniel returned the embrace warmly. "See you later, Sam."

"Bye guys," Carter said, letting go of Daniel and starting for the door.

"Later, Sam," Mitchell called, raising a hand in farewell. Carter waved and then was gone, pushing out through the swinging doors.

"Well, I'd better go find Jack then," Daniel sighed, heading for the exit himself.

"He'll probably be in his office," Mitchell offered.

"Thanks."

* * *

Jack was still holed up in his office when there was a soft knock on the door. He'd tried and failed to get through another annoying stack of paperwork that had found its way to his 'in' box, and as he sat staring blindly at the picture frame on the corner of the desk his mind was too fuddled to notice.

It was SG-1; the original SG-1, from back in the good old days…before Daniel had died. They all had a copy of it--even Sha're. They were standing, lined up shoulder to shoulder at the base of the ramp. Carter had been in a mood, and she'd wanted a picture, so she'd asked Sergeant Harriman to snap one before they'd left one morning. Walter had been only too glad to. The picture was from only a few weeks before his death, actually, shortly after he'd gotten that drastic haircut that had scared the heck out of everyone at the SGC. Well, all right at had scared his friends at first. The nurses in the infirmary that so often housed the young scientist, however, had taken to it quickly--much too quickly, for O'Neill's protective taste.

Daniel…for cryin' out loud, why couldn't Jack just go up there and face him? The general sighed heavily, not noticing the office door as it opened a crack, and then swung open enough to let someone through before closing again.

It wasn't until a hand and a black BDU-sleeved arm came into view, picking up the frame, did O'Neill notice that anyone was there.

"I remember this; Sam was in one of her oh-wait-let's-take-a-picture moods," said a voice above him. It was a voice that a year ago he would have never expected to hear again.

Jack looked up quickly, freezing when he saw who was standing beside his desk, looking at the picture that was now in his hands.

"Daniel…"

The archaeologist looked up from the snapshot and flashed a smile at him. "Hey, Jack."

"Hey…" Jack trailed, standing slowly. Daniel put the frame back on the desk where it had been and stuck his hands into his pockets.

"Why are you sitting around down here?"

"Oh, uhm…lots of paper work; not easy being The Man and all…" O'Neill answered. Even before he said it he knew Daniel wouldn't believe it. "Really sorry I wasn't there when you came through, but there was…stuff to do…"

Daniel shrugged. "That's all right; I understand." But Jack had been right; he wasn't believing the surface meaning of O'Neill's answer. Instead, beneath the surface of his reply was a whole other meaning to the words 'I understand'.

Jack gulped. "Uh, right." _Darnit._ This was it. Daniel was standing right in front of him. Only in his mind had he ever hoped that he would see his friend again, and now that he was here…his mind wouldn't work. There was so much he knew he wanted to say, but for some reason he couldn't. He'd never been good at this type of thing…

"So uh….how's things in your…reality."

Jackson shrugged. "Okay, considering the Ori are on a crusade to take over our galaxy."

"Day just got better?"

"Oh yeah." Daniel grinned, his face lighting up suddenly. Jack didn't have to ask why; he'd seen that look in the mirror on his own face before, a long time ago….just after Charlie had been born. After a moment the archaeologist's face straightened again. "That's not why I came down here though."

"Ah…" O'Neill looked away as the office fell into an uncomfortable silence. Daniel was the one to break it.

"It wasn't your fault, Jack." When the general didn't answer he continued earnestly. "What happened to m--the me here wasn't your fault in any way, shape or form. You looked for me and Sam for days, and as soon as you had something you came as quickly as you could. You can't fault yourself for that. You did everything you could."

Jack grimaced and glanced up at him. "Did I?"

Daniel just looked at him, his gaze unwavering. "Yes, you did." Then a small smile crept its way across his features. "I came here to cheer you up, Jack, not let you beat yourself up in front of me."

O'Neill swallowed. "But I let you--I let him _die_."

"There was nothing you could have done. I should know. I was there. I died there just the same, Jack; the only difference is that _Amaunet_ decided to revive me, and in your reality she didn't."

"Then I guess the other me feels just as guilty."

"Well…at first he did--but then he figured out what I'm trying to tell you and cut it out. Now you gonna listen to yourself or not?"

"Why does that sound familiar?"

"Probably because its what we told general--excuse me, 'Lieutenant' Hammond back in '69, but seriously, Jack, listen to me…"

"Okay, okay, sorry," O'Neill sighed. "It's just that…I mean I just…" But he trailed off, unable to finish. _Losing you hurt too much to just accept. I had to blame 'somebody'. It's always been a habit to blame myself…_ But somehow, something in his friend's eyes told him that Jackson understood anyway.

"I know, Jack," he said quietly.

Of course he did. He was Daniel Jackson…

He was Daniel Jackson.

Before Jack knew what he was doing he'd thrown his arms around his friend, embracing him tightly. Daniel hugged back just as firmly, sensing the comfort that he needed.

"It's good to see you," Jack said finally, when he found his voice again.

But still he didn't let go; and he didn't feel any shame about it either. Certainly the general didn't want to and didn't plan on doing anything like breaking down and crying right here at the SGC, but there was no reason not to be happy and let at least someone know it. Granted, his eyes weren't the driest they could have been, either, but hey, this was his best friend that he hadn't seen in seven years. Who was going to blame him?

Daniel only smiled.


End file.
